Importance of Housekeeping and Cleanliness at Workplace Housekeeping and cleanliness at the workplace are closely linked to the industrial safety. The degree, to which these activities are effectively managed, is an indicator of the safety culture of the organization. Housekeeping and cleanliness not only make the organization a safer place to work in but also provide a big boost to the image of the organization. These activities also (i) improve efficiency and productivity, (ii) helps in maintaining good control over the processes, and (iii) assist in maintaining the quality of the product. These important aspects of housekeeping and cleanliness are shown in Fig 1. Fig1 Important aspects of housekeeping and cleanliness There are several signs which reflect poor housekeeping and cleanliness at the workplace in the organization. Some of these signs are (i) cluttered and poorly arranged work areas, (ii) untidy or dangerous storage of materials (such as materials stuffed in corners and overcrowded shelves etc.), (iii) dusty and dirty floors and work surfaces, (iv) items lying on the shop floor which are in excess or no longer needed, (v) blocked or cluttered aisles and exits, (vi) tools and equipment left in work areas instead of being returned to proper storage places, (vii) broken containers and damaged materials, (vii) overflowing waste bins and containers, and (viii) spills and leaks etc. Housekeeping and cleanliness refer to the processes which ensure facilities, equipment, work areas and access routes are kept in good condition. This condition is required for supporting safe and reliable operation and maintenance during normal plant operation. Additionally, during the emergency, housekeeping and cleanliness ensure that the plant operations are not inhibited. Further, the housekeeping and cleanliness both are interrelated. Reaching a good standard in one of them is difficult without reaching a good...

Safe Working Procedures and Safe Work Practices For the implementation of the safety management system, the organization is to establish safe working procedures and safe work practices so that all the works are carried out safely and the risks of injury to work men and damage of equipment and property are eliminated or minimized. The safe working procedures and safe work practices are to be established meeting the requirements of the Factories Act as well as meeting the requirements of the work processes. Safe working procedures and safe work practices are established in the organization for addressing significant hazards or for dealing with circumstances that may present other significant risks/liabilities for the organization. They reflect the approach of the organization for controlling safety hazards. Safe working procedure is a step by step process that guides a work man through a task from start to finish in a chronological order. Safe work procedures are designed to reduce the risk by minimizing potential exposure for performing a work safely from beginning to end. Safe work practice is a set of guidelines established to help work men to perform a task which may not require a step by step procedure. Safe work practices are generally written methods outlining how to perform a task with minimum risk to people, equipment, materials, environment, and processes. Safe working procedures and safe work practices tells work men how to perform a specific task so as to mitigate hazards that have been identified through the hazard identification process. They are guideline documents for the maintenance of safety in the organization. The extent of the application of the safe working procedures and safe work practices depends on the safety policy of the organization, the nature of the activities in the organization, and complexity of...

Standard Operating Procedures Standard operating procedure (SOP) is defined as the established or prescribed methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designated operations or in designated situations. It is a document consisting of step by step information on how to execute a task. It is a set of written instructions that document a routine or repetitive activity which is followed by an organization. In a manufacturing organization, an SOP is the step by step production line procedures used to run a process for producing a product as well to train employees. The existence of documented procedures enhances the value of an organization. It shows that the organization is a professional organization which is process driven, rather than top management driven. Process driven organizations create a higher level of confidence amongst the customers. The development and use of SOPs provides individuals with the information to carry out the operations correctly and always in the same manner. By helping to perform a job properly, SOP facilitates in maintaining the quality control and quality assurance processes besides consistency in the quality and integrity of a product or end result. SOPs are intended to be specific to the organization or facility whose activities are described. They describe the activities necessary to complete tasks in accordance with industry regulations, process discipline, local laws or even just organizational own internal standards. The details in an SOP standardize the process and provide step-by-step how-to instructions that enable anyone within the organization to perform the task in a consistent manner. The SOP document serves as an instructional resource that allows employees to act without asking for directions, reassurance, or guidance. The step-by-step written procedure can also help to hold the employees accountable because employee expectations are documented and their actions...